In less than 24 hours, we will know the nominees for this year’s Academy Awards. The MHT nominees would be much different than what we’ll hear from the Academy but it’s always fun to talk about who might be nominated. Here are the MHT predictions as well as who I’d nominate if mine were the only voice that mattered:

Best Picture

My Nominations

  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  • Lady Bird
  • Darkest Hour
  • Wind River
  • I, Tonya
  • mother!
  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
  • Baby Driver
  • A Ghost Story
  • The Disaster Artist

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
  • Lady Bird

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • The Shape of Water
  • Call Me By Your Name

The Final Cuts:

  • The Post
  • Dunkirk
  • Get Out
  • I, Tonya

Eight is probably enough for the Academy and there are plenty of films that might make this wide open field. The Florida Project, The Big Sick, Darkest Hour and Mudbound could all grab a spot here.

Best Director

My Nominations

  • Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)
  • Darren Aronofsky (mother!)
  • Edgar Wright (Baby Driver)
  • James Mangold (Logan)
  • Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water)
  • Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)
  • Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Christopher Nolan (Dunkirk)

The Final Cut:

  • Steven Spielberg (The Post)

If Jordan Peele, Luca Guadagnino and Sean Baker all miss out, it would be shocking… but that’s exactly why it will happen that way.

Best Actor

My Nominations

  • Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)
  • James Franco (The Disaster Artist)
  • Hugh Jackman (Logan)
  • Denzel Washington (Roman Israel, Esq.)
  • Jeremy Renner (Wind River)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • James Franco (The Disaster Artist)
  • Gary Oldman (Darkest Hour)
  • Timothee Chalamet (Call Me By Your Name)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Daniel Kaluuya (Get Out)

The Final Cut:

  • Tom Hanks (The Post)

That last spot feels very up in the air with Daniel Day-Lewis (Phantom Thread) and Denzel Washington (Roman Israel, Esq.) lurking in the shadows.

Best Actress

My Nominations

  • Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)
  • Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)
  • Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)
  • Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game)
  • Aubrey Plaza (Ingrid Goes West)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Frances McDormand (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
  • Saoirse Ronan (Lady Bird)
  • Sally Hawkins (The Shape of Water)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Margot Robbie (I, Tonya)

The Final Cut:

  • Michelle Williams (All the Money In the World)

Like their male counterparts, I could see anything happening with that last spot. Annette Benning (Film Stars Don’t Die In Liverpool), Meryl Streep (The Post), Jessica Chastain (Molly’s Game) and Judi Dench (Victoria & Abdul) could all sneak into this pool even though none of them have a chance against the big 3.

Best Supporting Actor

My Nominations

  • Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
  • Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
  • Mark Hamill (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)
  • Adam Driver (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)
  • Steve Carell (Battle of the Sexes)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Willem Dafoe (The Florida Project)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Woody Harrelson (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
  • Sam Rockwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)
  • Armie Hammer (Call Me By Your Name)

The Final Cut:

  • Christopher Plummer (All the Money in the World)

Richard Jenkins (The Shape of Water) and Michael Stuhlbarg (Call Me By Your Name) are also contenders here. Stuhlbarg could get bonus support for his small role in The Shape of Water, also.

Best Supporting Actress

My Nominations

  • Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
  • Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)
  • Tiffany Haddish (Girls Trip)
  • Elizabeth Olsen (Ingrid Goes West)
  • Holly Hunter (The Big Sick)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Allison Janney (I, Tonya)
  • Laurie Metcalf (Lady Bird)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Holly Hunter (The Big Sick)
  • Mary J. Blige (Mudbound)

The Final Cut:

  • Hong Chau (Downsizing)

I always choose against what I want to see happen (Haddish getting the final spot) and going with something that doesn’t make total sense. Chau getting the nod for Downsizing, a movie no one even wanted to see, makes sense instead of a number of other choices from more popular films.

Best Adapted Screenplay

My Nominations

  • Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game)
  • Jack Thorn, Steve Conrad & Stephen Chbosky (Wonder)
  • Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber (The Disaster Artist)
  • Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green (Logan)
  • Jason Hall (Thank You For Your Service)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • James Ivory (Call Me By Your Name)
  • Scott Neustadter & Michael H. Weber (The Disaster Artist)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Aaron Sorkin (Molly’s Game)
  • Virgil Williams & Dee Rees (Mudbound)

The Final Cut:

  • Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green (Logan)

This sets up for Logan to be the first superhero film to be nominated for best screenplay but it could be Wonder Woman or Wonder or a number of other films to take the last spot.

Best Original Screenplay

My Nominations

  • Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)
  • Emily V. Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick)
  • Steven Rogers (I, Tonya)
  • Taylor Sheridan (Wind River)
  • Matt Spicer & David Branson Smith (Ingrid Goes West)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Jordan Peele (Get Out)
  • Steven Rogers (I, Tonya)
  • Guillermo del Toro & Vanessa Taylor (The Shape of Water)

The Final Cut:

  • Martin McDonagh (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

If I had to pick a group of 5 I felt most confident with, it would be this one right here.

Best Cinematography

My Nominations

  • Dan Laustsen (The Shape of Water)
  • Hoyte van Hoytema (Dunkirk)
  • Barry Ackroyd (Detroit)
  • Andrew Droz Palermo (A Ghost Story)
  • Bruno Delbonnel (Darkest Hour)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Hoyte van Hoytema (Dunkirk)
  • Roger Deakins (Blade Runner 2049)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Edward Lachman (Wonderstruck)
  • Bruno Delbonnel (Darkest Hour)

The Final Cut:

  • Dan Laustsen (The Shape of Water)

I feel like Logan or War for the Planet of the Apes could grab a surprise nomination here and someone will beat Roger Deakins eventually but he’ll likely grab yet another nomination.

Best Costume Design

My Nominations

  • Beauty and the Beast
  • The Greatest Showman
  • Wonder Woman
  • The Beguiled
  • Roman Israel, Esq.

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Beauty and the Beast

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Phantom Thread
  • The Greatest Showman
  • The Shape of Water

The Final Cut:

  • Murder on the Orient Express

That last spot goes to Murder on the Orient Express because a previous Oscar winner and four-time nominee Alexandra Byrne carries the clout to grab it.

Best Film Editing

My Nominations

  • Baby Driver
  • Dunkirk
  • I, Tonya
  • Wind River
  • Detroit

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Baby Driver
  • Dunkirk

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • The Shape of Water
  • Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

The Final Cut: 

  • Get Out

The Academy has a bad memory so Get Out is a risky pick here but that last spot isn’t easy to fill.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

My Nominations

  • I, Tonya
  • Wonder
  • The Beguiled

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Wonder

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Darkest Hour

The Final Cut:

  • I, Tonya

These choices leave Bright, Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, Ghost In The Shell and Victoria & Abdul shut out of the nominations.

Best Original Score

My Nominations

  • Alexandre Desplat (The Shape of Water)
  • John Williams (Star Wars: The Last Jedi)
  • Hans Zimmer (Dunkirk)
  • Nick Cave & Warren Ellis (Wind River)
  • James Newton Howard (Roman Israel, Esq.)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Hans Zimmer (Dunkirk)
  • Alexandre Desplat (The Shape of Water)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • John Williams (The Post)
  • Carter Burwell (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri)

The Final Cut:

  • Dario Marianelli (Darkest Hour)

It would not be shocking to see someone — Zimmer, Burwell, Williams, Desplat or even James Newton Howard — receive two nominations in this category. This will be one of the more interesting ones to watch unfold.

Best Original Song

My Nominations

  • “Remember Me” (Coco)
  • “This Is Me” (The Greatest Showman)
  • “Stand Up for Something” (Marshall)
  • “Mighty River” (Mudbound)
  • “Never Enough” (The Greatest Showman)

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • “Remember Me” (Coco)
  • “Stand Up For Something” (Marshall)

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • “Mystery of Love” (Call Me By Your Name)
  • “This Is Me” (The Greatest Showman)

The Final Cut:

  • “Mighty River” (Mudbound)

I can’t see both The Greatest Showman and Beauty & the Beast getting shut out here and I’ll lean toward the song with the most clout from The Greatest Showman and leave Beauty & the Beast out in the cold since the film features mostly repeats from the animated classic. This also means we’re predicting two Oscar nominations for Mary J. Blige.

Best Production Design

My Nominations

  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Wonderstruck
  • The Beguiled
  • The Shape of Water
  • Logan

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Beauty and the Beast
  • The Shape of Water

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Blade Runner 2049
  • Dunkirk

The Final Cut:

  • The Post

It came down to a battle of Oscarbait between The Post and Darkest Hour for the final spot and I leaned toward The Post but wouldn’t be disappointed to be wrong here.

Best Sound Editing

My Nominations

  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  • Baby Driver
  • Dunkirk
  • Wonder Woman
  • Thor: Ragnarok

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Baby Driver
  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Dunkirk
  • Blade Runner 2049

The Final Cut:

  • The Shape of Water

Not expecting the voters to go wayward from what BAFTA thought on the same category.

Best Sound Mixing

My Nominations

  • Baby Driver
  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  • Logan
  • Dunkirk
  • War for the Planet of the Apes

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Baby Driver
  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Dunkirk
  • The Shape of Water

The Final Cut:

  • The Greatest Showman

Just to be a little different here and show there might be a difference between the two categories. (YouTube it for a primer.)

Best Visual Effects

My Nominations

  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  • Kong: Skull Island
  • Thor: Ragnarok
  • Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets
  • Ghost in the Shell

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Star Wars: The Last Jedi
  • Dunkirk

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • Okja
  • Blade Runner 2049

The Final Cut:

  • War for the Planet of the Apes

The best visual films are likely to lose spots to some better overall films which means no nominations for Kong: Skull Island and Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets.

Best Animated Feature Film

My Nominations

  • Coco
  • The LEGO Batman Movie
  • LEGO Ninjago
  • Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie
  • The Boss Baby

Who Will Earn the Nomination (From Most to Least Likely):

Lock It Up:

  • Coco
  • The LEGO Batman Movie

It’ll Be A Shock If They Don’t Get Nominated But…:

  • The Breadwinner
  • Loving Vincent

The Final Cut:

  • Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

That last spot could go to The Boss Baby or dare I say it? Despicable Me 3… ugh!